


It's Always Draco in Philadelphia

by ForlornFaerie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boys In Love, Cute Funny Fluff, Drarry, Fluff, How Do I Tag, M/M, My First Fanfic, Not Epilogue Compliant, Past Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Post-Hogwarts, Scorpius Malfoy & Albus Severus Potter Friendship, just a silly story, scorpius malfoy is adorable
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2020-11-27 02:22:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20940710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForlornFaerie/pseuds/ForlornFaerie
Summary: Harry moved to the States to support Ginny in her Quidditch career, but they divorced shortly after. He now raises the children on his own and is happy, but he's missing a certain something  (or should we say, someone?) in his life.One day while at the zoo with his children, Harry finds a lost child, who turns out to be Scorpius Malfoy. As their children become friends, Draco and Harry start to form a friendship as well. But will it lead to more? And can they put their past behind them?





	1. Little Boy Lost

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WistfulMoon_ArdentStars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WistfulMoon_ArdentStars/gifts).

> Disclaimer: J.K.Rowling owns all things Harry Potter. I just obsess over them and write silly stories about Drarry for fun.  
This is my first attempt at a Drarry fanfic, well ANY fanfic tbh, so please, go easy on me! 
> 
> This is dedicated to WistfulMoon_ArdentStars, my best friend, roommate, Drarry soulmate and partner in all-things Harry Potter! I love you to the moon and back, girl! Thanks for always believing in me and encouraging me when my insecurities start to kick in. I promise I will work on your Scorpius story soon! 
> 
> This is just a fun attempt at fluff. Maybe a tiny bit of agnst in some later chapters, but I wanted my first story to be light-hearted. I am sure that I will be writing more Darry stories with all the drama and angst in the near future!
> 
> Anywhoodle, here is Chapter 1. I will try to post at least a chapter every 2 weeks or so, maybe more when I have the time! Hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry Potter and his children are enjoying a day at the zoo when he finds a lost child. But when he locates the boy's father, he is in for a surprise? 
> 
> Will he and Malfoy part ways once the latter is reunited with his offspring? Or will the children's newfound friendship force them to set aside past grievances?

**Chapter 1: Little Boy Lost**

“Daddy, wake up!”

Harry Potter rolls over and throws his pillow over his head, but the little voice won't give up. 

“C’mon, Daddy, you _promised!_” pleads his five-year-old daughter. 

Harry reluctantly opens his eyes and casts a wandless _ Tempus _charm on the ceiling. 

“Lils,” he groans, “it’s only 6:30 in the morning! The zoo doesn’t even open til 10 on Sundays.”

“I know that!” she says defiantly, her auburn hair falling in her eyes. “But you promised you’d take us out for pancakes!”

Harry reluctantly sits up. He did promise to take the kids to their favorite diner for all-you-can-eat pancakes. He loves his kids, he really does. He just wishes they would let him sleep in once in a while.

“Okay, Lilybug, I’m awake now. Go tell your brothers to get dressed. I’ll meet you downstairs in about fifteen minutes.” 

“YAY, Daddy!” she runs out of the room, yelling “JAMIE! AL! HE SAYS WE CAN GO NOW!”

“And don’t forget to brush your teeth. ALL OF YOU!” Harry calls after Lily’s retreating figure as she skips excitedly down the hall. 

Half an hour later they are tearing into pancakes at their favorite diner. It’s a Muggle-owned restaurant in a Philadelphia suburb that Harry and Ginny had discovered when they came to the States during her tryouts for the American Quidditch Team. It had been the perfect vacation. They had even found the perfect townhouse just a few blocks from the cute little diner that served the best coffee that Harry had ever tasted. And Harry loves his coffee.

The kids are talking about what they want to do at the zoo and Harry just sips his coffee and listens happily to their playful banter. He absentmindedly brushes his hair out of his eyes as he suddenly feels a burst of love for his three children. He had been letting his hair grow out since Lily was born. He cut it short for the wedding, at Ginny’s insistence. It had become a point of contention with his wife when he finally decided to grow it out again.

_ Ex-wife_, he reminds himself, sighing.

The divorce had been finalized a few weeks ago. He still needed to get used to the idea that he was divorced at thirty-one. He should have seen it coming, as he and Ginny had been drifting apart for years. He was always at work, and she was at home with the children. Then, when Lily was about a year old, Ginny announced that she wanted to play professional Quidditch again.

So Harry quit his job as Head Auror and moved his family to the U.S. once Ginny had secured a spot on the U.S. Quidditch team. For three years he stayed at home with the kids while Ginny traveled around the world. He had thought they were happy, but he realizes now that they were both in denial.

“It’s not you, Harry.” Ginny had said as they sat in the small café drinking coffee late one night last November. “I need more out of life. I love the kids, I do, but I’m bored.”

“But you’re playing again, just like you wanted! You travel all over the world!” Harry looked at her in confusion.

Ginny sighed. “Don’t you see it, Harry? We haven’t been happy in years. First, we used your job as an excuse and then mine. But we don’t love each other anymore, at least not the way we used to.”

Harry knew deep down that she was right. He loved Ginny, but it was more of a sibling type of love. He knew that the passion had gone out of their marriage early on. But he attributed it to them both being tired from work or the kids. 

They parted on friendly terms. Ginny saw the kids as much as she could, but she had found her own place in New York City for when she wasn’t traveling with the team. Harry and the kids had fallen in love with Philly so they remained in their little townhouse. He hadn’t found a job yet as his job was raising his kids. Jamie would be off to Hogwarts in a few years, and the others would follow shortly after. He knew he should figure out what he wanted to do with his life, but for now, he was enjoying spending every moment he had with his children. They were his life.

“Daddy, are you okay?” Lily asks him suddenly. For a six-year-old, she was remarkably insightful. 

“Sure, Lily-Bug, I was just thinking.” He reassures her with a smile.

“About Mommy?” She whispers.

“Yes, I miss her sometimes. She’s my best friend.” Harry says. And it was the truth. No matter what, he and Ginny still had a solid friendship. He basically had no other adult companionship other than Ginny currently, so at times, he longed for adult conversation. But he had the kids, so he was happy. Of course, he missed Ron and Hermoine. And Neville and Hannah. And Luna. He was thinking about inviting them over for the holidays for a mini-reunion.

“Me too,” Lily says. “But you have us!”

“Always!” Harry smiles. “Are you lot just about finished? We want to beat the lines at the zoo, right?”

Harry pays their bill, leaves a tip on the table for their favorite waitress and ushers the kids back into the car. He had gotten his driver's license when they first moved to the States because it was easier than trying to apparate all the time with three young children.

Four hours later he finds himself being dragged around the zoo by three very rambunctious children. They had spent way too much time in the Reptile House as Albus was fascinated with snakes. He wouldn’t be surprised if his middle child were sorted into Slytherin. Al was shyer than his siblings, but he was also very cunning. 

James would definitely in Gryffindor. He was daring and outspoken like his father...and his mother. Lily was more of a mystery. She was extremely bright, as was Albus. (Jamie was also intelligent, but had little to no interest in education, Harry thinks he got that from him). But she could also be daring and was always following her eldest brother into some type of adventure. As well, she was unfailingly kind, loving, generous and possessed strong leadership qualities. She was very mature for her age. Harry had no idea where Lily was going to end up. But he knew all three of his children would be successful no matter which house the Sorting Hat chose for them.

"How about a lunch break?” he asks, tiredly. They are near the café and all he could smell was fried food, and he had a sudden craving for a Philly cheesesteak.

“Okay, Dad, can we get a double order of family fries?” Al asks. “I’m starving!”

Harry laughs. “Sure, the way you guys eat, I should make it a triple!” He finds them a table and leaves to get the food.

As he was about to place their order, he feels someone tugging on his shirtsleeve. Thinking it was one of the children asking for an order of onion rings or mozzarella sticks, he says “Save some room for dessert!”

“Pardon me?” pipes up a tiny voice that is far too posh to be coming from one of his offspring.

The voice belongs to a tiny blond boy with huge silver-grey eyes. The angular features, pale skin, and platinum blond hair reminded him of --_ No,_ _it couldn’t be?!_

What would _ Draco Malfoy _ be doing in the States? At the Philadelphia Zoo of all places? And why is his young son wandering the grounds unsupervised?  
  
The child looked _ exactly _like a miniature replica of Malfoy. Harry glances around quickly, with the trained eye of a former Auror, but Malfoy is nowhere in sight.

“Can I help you?” He stoops down, so he is eye-level with the small child.

“I can’t find my Father,” he says in a clipped British accent. “Can you please help me, sir?”

_ OMG, _ Harry thought, _ it is mini-Malfoy, he sounds just like him! _

“Of course, what’s your name?” He asks, already knowing the answer.

“Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. My Father is Draco Malfoy. I am six years old. We were looking at the tigers and I ran ahead and I turned around and I lost sight of him!” Despite his attempts to remain dignified, Scorpius' chin trembles as a tear escapes down his pale cheeks.

“Let’s go find your father.” He takes the boy's hand. “I know Mr. Malfoy, we went to Hogwarts together. I have a son about your age. I need to get my children, so they can help us find your Daddy!”

Harry leads Scorpius to the table where James, Lily, and Albus are seated. “Quick change of plans. This is Scorpius. He got separated from his Daddy and we are going to help him find him. We can eat after, okay!”

“Sure, Daddy!” Al jumps up. “My name is Albus, but everyone calls me Al. I’m six and I can help you find your Daddy. I got lost once too.” he reassures him. “But my Daddy used to be a detective, and he found me!”

_ Detective_, Harry chuckles, despite himself. His kids have always been cautious about how they speak, as both he and Ginny had said to be careful talking about magic in front of strangers. _ Little does he know_, sighs Harry.

“Now, Scorpius. We need to figure out where your Daddy could be. Where did you last see him?” he asks the tiny Draco-clone.

“I ran up to get a closer look at the tigers and Daddy was right behind me, but then I turned around, and he was gone!” the little boy says matter-of-factly.

“How long were you looking at the tigers?” asks Harry, knowing that children’s perception of time varied greatly from that of adults.

Scorpius scrunches his eyes. “Maybe five minutes?” he suggests, not sounding quite sure of himself.

“Okay, I think we should go to Guest Services and have them make a ‘Lost Child Announcement.’” Harry says, taking charge. “Everyone grab a hand, and stick close to me.”

Harry leads his little group to the Guest Services section of the zoo. “Hello,” he addresses the young woman at the desk. “I have a lost child looking for his Daddy, could you please help us find -”

“Scorpius! There you are!” a familiar voice calls from behind them. 

“Never mind, it appears as though he found us first.” Harry smiles at the girl.  
  
“No worries, glad everything is okay.” the young girl smiles back, obviously taken in by Harry’s good looks, as well as his charm.

“Daddy!” Scorpius cries, running over to his father. “Harry found me! Where did you go?”

“_Harry?! _ ” Draco gapes at the brunet standing in front of him. “_Potter?_”

“Yes, he used to be a de-tick-tive?....detective! He’s good at finding people” Scorpius says proudly. “He’s very nice.” he adds softly, smiling at Harry.

The men stand a few feet apart, briefly sizing each other up. Malfoy looks almost exactly the same as when Harry had last seen him several years ago when he gave Malfoy back his wand after speaking at the blond’s trial. His hair was longer, much like Harry’s. It wasn’t slicked back as it had been for most of their time at Hogwarts. Instead, it fell in soft waves down to his shoulders. Harry decides prefers it this way. 

  
_ Those eyes_, Harry thinks, before he could stop himself. Malfoy was not quite as pointy as he remembered either. He seemed to have filled out quite a bit and was no longer as thin and pale as he had been during their sixth year and the Battle of Hogwarts. He looks quite good actually. The black trousers he is wearing are tight in just the right places and the black button up shirt is neatly pressed.

Harry sighs inwardly. He always felt like a frump next to Draco. He absentmindedly tugs at his green hoodie and brushes his hair out of his eyes, momentarily revealing his lightning-shaped scar.

Draco was sizing Harry up as well. His hair was still a mess, but it was longer and surprisingly curly. It suited him. Harry is looking extremely fit, in a faded emerald green hooded sweatshirt that match his eyes perfectly and faded jeans that were snug, but not too tight. He loses imself for a second in those sparkling emerald green eyes. 

_ Stop it, Draco, _ he thinks. _ You don’t want to go down that road again. _

“Potter, thank you for finding my son. I was frantic. I turned around for a second, and he was gone.”

“No worries, Malfoy. He walked right up to me and introduced himself. Very polite. And my two boys wander off all the time, unlike Lily here, who doesn’t leave my side for a second.” He smiles at his youngest child. Lily giggles and squeezes his hand.

“We were gonna get lunch. Do you wanna eat with us?” Albus asks Scorpius, obviously excited at the prospect of having a friend his own age. And someone to play with other than his siblings, whom he loves very much, but sometimes he wishes he had friends of his own.

“Um, er, sure, would you like to join us? My treat?” Harry looks at Draco as he shuffles his feet and awkwardly runs his hand through his curly brown hair.

“You have such a way with words, Potter, you haven’t changed a bit!” Draco says, but Harry doesn’t detect any malice in his voice, just a hint of teasing.

Harry laughs nervously. “Neither have you, but you look really good!” Harry says without thinking, as a blush creeps up his cheeks.

“Really, Potter?” Draco asks playfully. “Are you checking me out?”

“Um, er.” Harry stammers, not quite sure what to say. He never thought he would run into Malfoy again. And yet, here they are, standing at Guest Services at the Philadelphia Zoo, miles from home, talking as though they were old friends instead of rivals.

_And quite possibly flirting? _Harry asks himself, confused, but also thrilled at the prospect. He had been obsessed with Malfoy for most of his time at Hogwarts, to put it mildly.

“Come on guys, I’m HUNGRY!” Albus cries, tugging on Harry’s arm and interrupting his thoughts. 

“Well, I can’t refuse a hungry child, now can I?” Draco says. “Come on, Scorpius. Let’s go have lunch with your new friends.”


	2. Owl Me, Maybe?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco, Harry and their children bond over lunch at the zoo. Harry is confused about his feelings for Draco, but makes plans for the kids to get together for a play date. But does he have a hidden agenda?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the 2nd chapter! :) I am working on the 3rd and hope to have it up within a week, if not sooner!

**Chapter 2: Owl Me, Maybe?**

Half an hour later they are seated at a table in the outdoor café. Harry had ordered burgers and fries for the kids and a Philly cheesesteak and fries for himself. Draco is eating a salad, but eyeing Harry’s plate with curious eyes. Scorpius is eating a slice of veggie pizza and apple slices. Draco is well aware that Albus keeps slipping him french fries, but doesn’t say anything. They eat extremely healthy most of the time, so a few fried potato slices won't hurt.

“Do you want a taste?” Harry asks Draco, noticing his interest in the Philly cheesesteak smothered with cheese and mushrooms. “You haven’t lived until you’ve had a Philly cheesesteak.” 

Draco looks down at his salad. He has been trying to eat healthy and set a good example for Scorpious, but that sandwich really does look tempting.

“Just a small taste, please?” he asks politely.

Harry hands him a quarter of his sandwich and watches as Draco takes tentatively takes a small bite. “Well, what do you think?”

“Merlin’s beard, this is good!” Draco exclaims, as some cheese drips down his chin. Harry laughs as the blond grabs a napkin and wipes his face.

“And this isn’t even the best place to get a good cheesesteak. I’ll have to show you around town.” Harry offers.

“Are you insinuating that I actually want to spend any more time with you, Potter?” Draco asks teasingly.

Harry blushes, “Well, I guess I am. You never told me what you’re doing here in Philly anyway.”

“Well, you know that Astoria, my wife, was ill and passed away.” Draco lowers his voice, so as not to upset his son.

“Yes, I did and I’m very sorry for your loss.” Harry says seriously.

“I did get your owl with the condolence card, Potter. Thank you for that. And Mother was very touched as well. She says you keep in touch with her.”

“We write every so often, Christmas and birthday cards. And the occasional letter.” Harry says. “She did save my life which basically enabled me take down Voldemort. I wrote her a thank you note, and she wrote back thanking me for defending her and keeping her out of Azkaban, and we sort of just kept writing. She really is a wonderful, caring woman.”

“I know that, Potter.” Draco sniffs, “She may appear cold and aloof to those who don’t know her, but she is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. She really opened up after Father -” He stops himself, tilting his head in Scorpius' direction, indicating that they would discuss Lucius Malfoy when the children were not present.

“Anyway,” Draco continues. “Astoria had spent part of her childhood here and in New York City and always told Scorp stories of her life here before Hogwarts. I promised her that I would bring Scorp to see where she grew up, and we sort of ending up staying for longer than I had planned. We are renting a flat outside the City.”

“Do you miss her, Mr. Malfoy?” Lily asks timidly. “I know my Daddy misses Mommy, but she’s still alive. It must be really hard for you both.”

“Yes it is, Lily. You are very well spoken for a five-year old.” Draco observes.

Harry smiles. “She’s five going on twenty.” He leans over and squeezes Lily’s hand. “She’s my big girl and has been a tremendous help since her Mom left.”

“Daddy!” Albus says, sensing that things were getting a little too serious. He had noticed his new friend was looking rather sad. “Can Scorp come over to play with us someday? I want to show him all my cool Muggle toys,” he lowers his voice in case anyone hears him.

“Sure, if Mr. Malfoy says it’s okay. We could have them over for lunch sometime and you kids can play for a while. I think Draco and I need to catch up a bit.” Harry smiles shyly at Draco.

Draco can’t quite get over the fact that Harry is being so nice to him. They had hated each other in school. Well, maybe _ hate _ is a bit harsh, but they certainly hadn't gotten along. The two men had seemed to come to an unspoken truce for the sake of their children. Draco knew that eventually they would have to talk about the past. It was a bit disconcerting. But he also knew that he wanted to spend more time with the handsome brunet sitting across the table.

Most importantly, he wanted Scorpius to make friends. For years, it had been just the three of them, until Astoria had passed away. Draco and Scorp moved in with Narcissa for a while. Then Draco wanted to fulfill his promise to his late wife and brought his son to the States. Narcissa Malfoy was taking advantage of the time alone to travel the world and reconnect with old friends. 

Harry could sense that Malfoy was deep in thought. He was wondering if he was having conflicting emotions about their unexpected reunion as well. He had forgiven the blond years ago and seeing him after all this time was sparking new feelings in Harry. Feelings that he desperately wanted to explore.

Harry knew that he had been attracted to both sexes for a few years now. Looking back, his obsession with Malfoy was most likely due to confusion about his sexual orientation, and an unrequited, burning attraction. He loved Ginny and after the war it just seemed natural that they married and raised a family. It was what everyone had expected. Harry had wanted a family of his own for so long that he didn’t give it a second thought. 

Seeing Draco again and reflecting back on the love lost in his marriage to Ginny, he felt those adolescent yearnings for his former nemesis start to resurface. 

The group chats amicably as they finish their lunch. As they were tidying up, Draco turns to his son.  
  
“We have to get back home, Scorp. Your grandmother is going to firecall us in a few hours and I want you to work on your lessons for a bit.”

“But, Daddy, I want to stay with Albus and Lily and Jamie and Mr. Potter!” his son whines, kicking a loose pebble on the ground. Draco senses that a tantrum is brewing and tries to nip it in the bud.

“And I think a nap may be in order, young man!” he warns his offspring sternly.

“I’m NOT tired!” Scorpius cries, stamping his foot.

Harry laughed. “I think you might be a little bit tired, Scorpius! Why don’t you go with your father and I’ll owl you later to set up a time for you to have a play date with the kids?” He turns to his kids, “Why don’t we call it an early day as well? We can get take-out and have a Movie Night?” 

“Yay! Movie night!” Albus cries.

“Cool, I want pizza!” Jamie pipes up.

“It’s my turn to pick a movie!” Lily chimes in. “And I want Chinese food, not pizza, we had pizza last week," she shoots Jamie a look that says she is ready for a fight. 

Harry laughs. “It is your turn, Lily. And anything but _ The Little Mermaid. _It’s a good movie, but we watched it the last three times it was your turn to choose! And we'll discuss dinner when we get home.” 

“It’s my favorite, Daddy, but okay. Maybe "_B__eauty and the Beast?" _

Draco watches the scene with amusement. Harry really knows how to handle his children. And he seems to adore them to no end. He didn’t quite expect that. But then again, a lot of his ideas about Potter had been completely off-base. But that was a discussion for another time.

“What’s a movie?” Scorpius pipes up, tantrum successfully diverted.

“It’s a Muggle thing. Like television.” Albus informs his inquisitive friend.

“Oh, we have one of those!” Scorpius jumps up and down. “Daddy lets me watch cartoons if I do all my lessons and chores!”

“Movies can be cartoons too.” Albus explains with the logic of a six-year-old. “They can also be real people though. And they are longer than a television show and really cool! Maybe we can watch one when you come over!” 

“Can we, Father? I want to see a Muggle movie!” Scorpius says excitedly, hopping from one foot to another.

Harry laughs. Scorpius is too adorable for words. He wonders if Malfoy was the same way at that age, before Lucius forced his insane pure-blood beliefs on his only child. Whatever Draco was doing with Scorpius was working though, he was a delightful child and Harry hoped that he and Albus would become the best of friends. He and Draco had been denied that opportunity due to the circumstances of their childhood, and their stubborn natures. 

Draco meets his eyes and Harry looks away quickly. He suddenly feels like a teenager again. 

“Um, er, well, we better head back to the car. I’ll owl you with some times and you can choose?” he asks his former school rival.

Draco bites back a laugh. “A car, Potter?” 

“Yeah, it’s just easier to get around with three kids...and just me.” Harry says.

“Didn’t you and Weasley steal a flying car third year?” Draco smiles mischievously at the brunet.

“DADDY! Did you and Uncle Ron really steal a car?” Lily’s asks her dad, her eyes wide in shock.

“Yes, thanks, Malfoy, for bringing that up.” Harry pokes Draco on the arm playfully. “Now I guess I’ll have to tell you lot the story sometime.”

“Maybe when we come over.” Draco smirks. “I can tell you kids quite a few stories about your Dad at Hogwarts!”

“Wait til Teddy is here!” Jamie says. “He’s coming to visit next week, and goes to Hogwarts! He loves hearing stories about Daddy when he was there.”

“Teddy?” Draco looks at Harry.

“Teddy Lupin. Edward Lupin. My godson. Your second cousin? He is staying with us for a few weeks this summer. He visits quite often.”

“I’ve met him once or twice. My mom and Andromeda are on speaking terms again. I think Mother wants to spend more time with her when she is home from her travels.” Draco says. “He’s a Metamorphmagus, correct?”

“Just like Tonks, I mean, his mother.” Harry says. “You’ll get to meet him sometime when he’s here. He’s in his third year at Hogwarts, a Hufflepuff like his mother.”

“Well, I really do need to get Scorp home. He needs a nap, whether he admits it or not.” Draco says, putting his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Thank you for finding him. And for lunch. My treat next time.” he offers, assuming there will actually be a next time. 

“I’ll take you up on that in the future, but next time is at ours. I’ll get kid-friendly take-out and movie snacks.” Harry says happily. “It’s a date then, er, a play date...for the kids!” He rambles on, blushing again.

Draco raises his eyebrows, “We’ll see about that.” And with that, he takes Scorpius by the hand. “Thank, Mr. Potter for lunch. We’ll see you soon, Harry. Nice meeting you children as well.”

“Thank you for lunch, Mr. Potter and for finding me. I can’t wait to come over for lunch and a movie and to play with Albus and see all of his toys.” Scorpius says in one breath.

“You’re quite welcome, Scorpius. I’m glad you found me. And I’m glad we found your father." Harry smiles.

_ More than you can imagine. _Harry quickly composes himself, before his thoughts run amuck.

"I'll owl you soon," he says to Draco, maintaining eye contact for a moment before looking away, not wanting to make a fool of himself yet again.

They exchange goodbyes and Harry walks back to the car with the kids trailing behind, as they laugh and rehash their day. Albus tells Harry that he is excited to have made a new friend. 

Harry smiles to himself and thinks “_Me too. And I don’t mean Scorpius._” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, WistfulMoon_ArdentStars, for picking up on my typos. Hopefully, we caught them all between us! 
> 
> It's so much easier to edit someone else's work than it is your own!


	3. Chapter 3: Wine & Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry invites Scorpius over for a playdate with his children. As he and Draco chat over wine, they both reveal a bit more of their respective pasts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long. Work has been crazy and so has life. But I will try and have the next chapter up in about a week. And I am working on a oneshot as well. Thanks for being so patient and I hope you like it!

**Chapter 3: Wine & Revelation**

Harry waits a day before he writes to Draco as he doesn’t want to appear overeager to see the blond again. He tries to keep it light, throwing away several drafts of the letter before he sends it off with the family owl.

_ Malfoy. _

_ The kids and I really enjoyed lunch the other day. Albus can’t stop talking about Scorpius. To be honest, he hasn’t had many friends close to his age, other than his (many) cousins. _

_ _

_ Is this Saturday good for you? I can either throw burgers on the grill or we can get pizza (or Chinese, Al and Lily would eat Chinese food every day if I let them). I have quite a few movies that the kids will enjoy and plenty of snack food. If you want, I can prepare a fruit and vegetable tray for a healthy option.  _

_ Say around noon? If that works for you, I will connect you to my Floo network and adjust the wards so you and Scorpius can enter.  _

_ Looking forward to seeing you both! _

_ Harry Potter _

_ Potter, _

_ Saturday is fine. I can bring some wine for us and a dessert. There is a English style bakery not far from our flat that makes a mean treacle tart. I seem to remember that as your favorite dessert from our days at Hogwarts. _

_ Scorp can’t stop talking about Albus as well. He, too, hasn’t had any friends his age, as I am afraid I have kept him rather isolated, so I welcome the opportunity for him to forge friendships with children from the wizarding world. _

_ See you then,  _

_ Draco Malfoy _

That Saturday, Harry and the children are up at the crack of dawn, cleaning for their first guests in what seems like ages. Harry tries to recall the last time any of the Weasley’s had come for a visit. He thinks it was last winter. He chides himself for becoming such a recluse and vows to start having more of a social life. The divorce may have just gone through, but he and Ginny had been separated for nearly 8 months now, so it was time he started living again. And hopefully, this get-together with Draco (and Scorpius) would be the first of many.

Draco and Scorpius arrive via the floo network promptly at noon. Albus shrieks and runs over to his new friend, grabbing his hand and dragging him upstairs to his bedroom to show off his toys.

Draco and Harry stare awkwardly at one another for a moment before Harry gets the nerve to speak up.

“Er, um, would you like a drink?” He stammers nervously.  _ This is just a playdate...for the kids,  _ he reminds himself.  _ Stop acting like a giddy teenager. _

Draco smiles and hands Harry a bottle of expensive French wine and a bakery box. “For you...well, the wine at least. The desserts are for all of us.” he adds.

“Thank you. I’ll put this in the kitchen. Follow me.” Harry says.

Draco is impressed by the decor of Harry’s humble flat. It is fairly large, big enough for a family with three growing children, but not an excessive amount of space. The floo led to a comfortable living room with a large sectional sofa, a fireplace and some armchairs. There was a tasteful Oriental rug in front of the fireplace and on the mantelpiece sat an assortment of photographs of the Potters and what seemed like dozens of Weasley offspring. As well, there was a picture of Harry with Hermione, Ronald, Luna, Neville, Dean and Seamus that must’ve been taken at Weasley’s home last Christmas. 

Harry leads Draco to a cozy looking kitchen with a breakfast nook and an insane amount of what must be Muggle cooking gadgets. Harry places the baked goods on the counter and fills a bucket with ice for the wine.

“I figured I would give the kids some time to play and you and I could catch up for a bit. Also, I have to order the food. Is Chinese okay with you?” Harry looks at Draco inquisitively.

“I’ve never had Chinese food. I wouldn’t even know what to order.” Draco admits.

“Really? It’s a family favorite. Well, Jamie likes it, but he prefers pizza and wings. But I promised him pizza next time.” Harry walks over to a drawer. “Here’s the menu. You can choose for Scorpius and yourself. I know what my kids like and I plan on getting a few appetizers for everyone to share.” 

Draco looks over the menu. The items are certainly intriguing. Setting aside his resolve to eat healthy, he decides on something called General Tso’s chicken and fried rice. He orders chicken and broccoli for Scorp. Harry calls in the order on his mobile phone and turns to Draco.

“Shall we have a glass of wine while we wait for the food? It will take about half an hour, they are always busy on Saturday.”   
  
“Sure.” Draco replies, suddenly nervous. Now that the food has been ordered, he wonders what he and Harry can possibly say to each other.  _ Stick to talking about the children,  _ he tells himself.

Harry leads him to a room off the kitchen. There is a large flat-screen television mounted to the wall and a comfortable (and stylish, Draco has to admit) sofa as well as some cushions and blankets on the floor, which he assumes are for the children.

Draco sits down on a black and white wingback chair that matches the black sofa and takes a small sip of his wine. Harry plops down on the couch and sips his wine before setting the glass on a coaster on the oak coffee table.

“Well, I know why you brought Scorpius to the States. How long do you plan on staying?” Harry asks, eager to start a conversation with the tall blond sitting next to him.

“I’m not quite sure.” Draco replies. “It was supposed to be a short visit, but with Mother travelling, and since I homeschool Scrop, we decided to stay for an undetermined time frame.” 

“Are you working, other than tutoring Scorpius?”

“I have a small potions lab in the flat. I supply the Hogwarts infirmary with potions as needed for a small stipend. Astoria left behind a small fortune for Scorp and myself. Mother and I lost most of the Malfoy fortune after the Ministry confiscated the Manor. And our vaults.”   
  
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” Harry says softly. “I tried to persuade them not to take as much as they did, but they felt it was owed to the victims of the war.”

“No worries, Potter.” Draco says with a sigh. “I honestly didn’t want any of those ill-gotten gains. My father deserves everything he got...and everything he lost. Mother had some of the Black fortune and I had a trust fund she set up for me under the Black name years ago, so we get by. And Astoria’s money helps.”   
  


“How did she die?” Harry asks quietly, looking Malfoy in the eye. 

“There was a blood curse placed on her family years ago. Actually, that’s why she spent a great deal of her childhood here and in New York. They have some of the best Healers in the world. We thought she was going to be okay. And then, right before Scorpious’ fifth birthday, she became ill. And there was nothing they could do. It happened so quickly.” Draco looks lost in his own thoughts as his eyes cloud over.

Harry reaches out and places a hand on his shoulder. “You must have really loved her.” he says quietly.

Draco smiles. “I did, I do.” he corrects himself. He gives a little laugh. “You do know that it was an arranged marriage, correct?”

Harry nods.

“Well, Mother knew that I prefer men. Have never been sexually attracted to women.” He holds up his hand when he sees that Harry is about to question him. “I know it looked like Pansy Parkinson and I were more than friends. She wanted to be more, but she was like a sister to me. She helped me hide my sexual orientation at Hogwarts. I didn’t want it to come out, with everything else that was going on.”

“I understand, more than you know.” Harry says softy.

Draco looks at him questioningly. “So the rumors are true, Potter, I mean, Harry?”

Harry sighs. “I loved Ginny. I always will, but I think I am more attracted to men. Sure, we had the kids and all, but our love life left a lot to be desired. But I’ve only ever been with her, so I don’t know for certain.” He decides not to mention his crush on Draco sixth year at Hogwarts, or his confused, but fleeting feelings for Cedric Diggory and Bill Weasley. No one needs to know about that. 

“Astoria knew. She actually preferred women. I told her she could have a partner on the side. I could have if I wanted. But I believe in monogamy, so I was faithful to her. As she was to me. We were best friends, though. She understood me in a way that no one else did, even Pansy and Blaise.”

Harry has many questions he wants to ask Draco, but he knows that now is not the time. He hopes he has the chance to find out more later.

“I’m so sorry, Draco. I can tell that you loved her. And that you love Scorpius. He’s a great kid!”

“I wouldn't have made it through this without him. He’s my life.” Draco says somberly.

“I get that. My kids are my everything. Sure, I have my friends, and my extended family. But I didn’t have the greatest childhood, for a lot of reasons, and I had always wanted a family of my own. Even if things didn’t work out for Ginny and I, at least she gave me that, and we had a few good years together. I just wasn’t enough for her. She deserves better.”

“It was hard for Scorp, he was so young.” Draco sighs.

“We’ve all lost so many over the years.” says Harry softly, thinking of the war. 

Draco looks at him, his eyes clouding over once again, then quickly turns away. They had both come a long way since their Hogwarts days, and he’s glad that they can be civil now. He knew he was a total prat back then. He couldn’t do anything to erase the past, but he could show Harry how much he had changed.

Harry stares at Draco who is looking out the window, seemingly lost in thought. He can see that Draco has changed a great deal since the war. Watching him interact with Scorpius makes his heart skip a beat. He wants to know more about the elegant blond sitting before him.

He looks down at his hands nervously and glances nervously at Draco, finding himself lost in those gorgeous blue-grey eyes that remind him of mist over the ocean. Draco stares back at him, sensing the energy that had suddenly filled the air. 

“So, before you married Astoria, were you ever with another -” Harry whispers.

“Daddy, is the food here yet? We’re starving!” Lily bursts into the room, followed by the three boys.

And just like that...the moment is gone. 


End file.
